Coin bank and method of classifying coins



July 28, 1970 J. T. WARRIX 3,521,649

COIN BANK AND METHOD OF GLASSIFYING COINS Filed March 13, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fly. 4

INVENTOR. JOHN TWAee/x CA no THE/es 4! C420 wees HIS A TTOEHEYS July 28, 1970 J. T. WARRIX 3,521,649

COIN BANK AND METHOD OF .CLASSIFYING COINS Filed March 13. 1967 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR. JaHu 7714/42/91):

BY C4 no rusejs (moms/es H15 A TronuEYS July 28, 1970 J. T. WARRIX COIN BANK AND METHOD OF CLASSIFYING COINS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 13, 1967 Qvu ' INVENTOR. Jouu 7.' Melee/x BY 7 CA eon/e25 4. C420 ruse /-//.s Arne/van United States Patent l 3,521,649 COIN BANK AND METHgD 0F CLASSIFYING COIN John T. Warrix, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Wolverine Toy Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,659

Int. Cl. G07d 3/12, 3/04; A63h 33/30 US. Cl. 133-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A coin bank having a coin classification unit with an inclined coin rolling track whether the coin stands on edge or is tilted, provided with stop means in the form of converging surfaces to arrest the rolling motion of the coin adjacent the corresponding coin bank compartment with a valve requiring an additional act by the operator to deposit the coin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to coin banks and more particularly to coin banks which receive, classify and store coins of various sizes.

Coin banks heretofore in existence which selectively classify coins by rolling the same down an inclined track, utilize slots or openings along the track of progressively increasing size to arrest the rolling motion of the coin. These banks depend upon a flash coin arrest as the coin reaches its corresponding coin bank compartment wherein the rolling coin is caused to frequently bounce rather than to make a pause, thereby jumping the coin over its proper selector hole and passing it to the next but wrong selector hole and it is improperly inserted in the coin compartment.

By causing the coin arrest to completely stop the coin and requiring an additional act upon the operator to deposit the coin, the coins are properly selected in their respective compartments and the child has two points of enjoyment in saving his money.

SUMMARY The principal object of the present invention is to provide a coin bank and method of coin classification which is positive in its classification of coins and thereby devoid of the above named disadvantages and which gives enjoyment to the operator by providing him with a toy. The coin bank of the present invention gives positive coin classification and storage 'by providing an inclined coin rolling track adjacent a series of compartments for different sized coins and a coin arrest abutment means cooperating with the track to unfailingly arrest further rolling movement of the coin adjacent the corresponding coin bank compartment. A valve means is provided to ermit the operator to release the arrested coin and permit it to move under gravitational force into its corresponding coin bank compartment thus providing him with an additional act of enjoyment while saving his money.

A toy is further provided for the operator by housing the inclined track, abutment stop means, and valve means in one unit which may be referred to as the coin classification unit which is in engagement with the coin compartment but separable therefrom. Thus the housing of the classification unit may take on the shape of an airplane or space ship or some other suitable form thereby providing the operator with a toy plane or space ship which will drop its coins as bombs or the like upon command. When the child is finished playing with the classification unit it may be re-engaged with the coin compartment and locked therewith with suitable locking means.

3,521,649 Patented July 28, 1970 ice The housing may also take on the form of a launching pad upon which a toy vehicle such as a rocket is seated. The toy vehicle may have a coin chute passing therethrough to mate with the coin slot in the classification unit when it is properly seated thereon. In this structure, the classification unit may be provided with a spring biased catapult means which will launch the rocket when the valve means is actuated to deposit the coin.

The coin arrest abutment means is provided by upper and lower converging surfaces which are cooperatively spaced such that they restrict further rolling motion of the various sized coins therebetween according to diameter. Thus the coins of smaller diameter are permitted to roll a longer distance between the converging surfaces than are the coins of a larger diameter. To provide even more definite arrest means, either one or both of the converging surfaces may be provided with steps thereby augmenting the coin differentiating of the coin steps.

This lower converging surface may also function as part of the valve means which can be displaced when the valve means is actuated to release the coin under gravitational force. The track may function as a portion of the valve means which may be displaced either by sliding or pushing it laterally, or by hinging or pivoting it along one longitudinal edge. The latter means permits the coin to slide downwardly off the inclined surface of the tilted track when activated such that the coin will not come to rest in its storage compartment on edge.

Other objects and advantages of this invention appear hereinafter in the following description and claims.

The accompanying drawings show, for the purpose of exemplification, certain practical embodiments illustrating the principles of this invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the coin bank of the present invention wherein the coin classification unit is shown connected with the coin storage unit.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal half view in elevation of the classification unit shown in FIG. 1 as seen along line 22 which shows one of the half moulds comprising the structure with the valve means inserted therein and illustrates one embodiment of the coin stop means.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the half mould shown in FIG. 2 with the valve means removed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the valve means shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal half view in elevation illustrating another embodiment of the structure shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation illustrating another embodiment of the coin bank shown in FIG. 1 and which illustrates a spring biased catapult means on top of the classification unit which launches the vehicular body thereon when the valve means is actuated.

Referring to FIG. 1 the coin bank consists primarily of two units, the coin classification unit 1 and the coin storage compartment 2, both units being completely separable one from the other. The coin storage compartment consists of a series of coin compartments or silos 3 which store the coins as classified by the unit 1. Both units are preferably molded from a plastic such as a polyester, a polystyrene, or a thermoplastic such as that of the acrylic family. However, it is preferable to have the coin classification unit 1 molded of a pigmented plastic in order to exclude vision within the unit 1 as this gives the operator the element of surprise as to which coin silo 3 the coin is going to be deposited into.

For economical reasons it is preferable to mold both units 1 and 2 in half sections which may be either glued or locked together by other means. However, it is obvious that the units need not be molded at all and that they may be constructed of any suitable material in any suitable manner. The coin compartment 2 as shown in FIG. 1

consists of two molded halves 4 and 5 which when held together form the series of coin chambers 3. The metal facing 6 is provided about the outside end faces of the storage unit 2 and has inturned flanges 7 with locking lugs 8 to maintain the metal facing 6 on the unit 2 and to aid in retaining the molded halves 4 and 5 of the unit 2 together. The coin bank is provided with a suitable connection means 18 to maintain the units 1 and 2 in a coupled relationship. The connection means 13 of the bank shown in FIG. 1 is a slide connection which consists of the opposed inturned flanges 11 and 12 which are mounted on the top of the unit 2 and which slidably receive the opposed out turned flanges 13 and 14 of the unit 1. A stop 15 is provided at the rearward end of the flanges 11 and 12 to restrain the unit 1 from further sliding action. Thus, the unit 1 may be disconnected from the unit 2 by sliding the unit 1 forward or away from stop 15 so that the flanges 13 and 1 4 may be slid out from under the flanges 11 and 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the classification unit 1 may take on the shape of any desired object. It is here illustrated as a jet plane which may be used as a childs toy separate from the storage unit 2. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the classification unit essentially consists of the body 17 having mounted therein the inclined coin rolling track 18. Access is provided into the body 17 to the incline track 18 by means of the slot 16. An upper converging surface 20 is permanently mounted within the body 1 and overlies the lower converging surface 18. The upper converging surface 20 is provided with the steps 21 which act as a'butment means to arrest further rolling movement of a coin rolling in a substantially upright position along the track 18. Thus, when a coin of small diameter such as a U.S. dime is inserted in the slot 16 it will roll down the incline track 18 until its rolling motion is stopped by one of the step abutments 21 .which in this instance would be the farther most step from the opening 16 at the smaller end of the converging surface 18 and 20 which would be the end wall 19. As the coins increase in diameter, they will be positioned closer to the opening 16 as each respective coin is stopped by its particular step 21 on the converging surface 20. Thus, each coin of different diameter is positioned along the track 18 according to its particular diameter. The dashed circles shown in FIG. 2 indicate these various positions which are aligned with the respective series of coin compartments or silos 3 when the classification unit 1 is coupled with the storage compartment 2-.

Each molded half of the body 1'7 is provided with the ribs 22 which extend along and throughout the traveling path of the ineserted coin and which are flush with the sides of the slot 16 to maintain the coins in a substantially upright rolling position. The track 18 comprises the upper surface of the valve means 23 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The ends of the valve means 23 or track 18 are slidably received within the body 1 by means of the grooves 24. The valve means 23 has a square stem 25 which is inserted in a corresponding square opening 26 in the body 17 as shown in FIG. 2. The stem 25 not only serves to guide the valve means 23 when slid laterally in slots 24, but it also acts as a means to retain the compression spring 27 which is seated in the notches 28 of the valve means 23. Opposing the guide stem 25, a valve actuating means 30 is provided on the opposite side of the valve means 23. The valve actuating means consist of the button 31 and the lock lug 32 lying thereunder. As best shown in FIG. 1, the valve actuating means 38 extends through the opening 29 of the unit 1. When the valve means 23 is inserted in the body 1, the compression spring 27 which seats against the back wall 33 of the body 17 as shown in FIG. 2, the abutment stops 34 are forced tight against the inside of the wall 35 of body 1. This positions or centers the track 18 directly under the upper converging surface 20 and the slot 16.

When the push button 31 is pressed inward, the valve means 23 is permitted to side laterally compressing the spring 27 and thereby displacing or removing the track 18 from directly under the stop abutment means 20 and 21. Thus, any coins resting on the track 18 are permitted to drop under gravitational force from their respective classification positions into their respective coin silos 3 providing the unit 1 is coupled as previously stated to the unit 2. The monetary amount of the coins retained in the respective coin silos 3 may be readily determined by the indicia 36 on the side of the silos 3 as shown in FIG. 1. When the push button 31 is released by the operator the compression spring 27 and the abutments 34 will permit the valve means 23 to resume its normal position for the next coin insertion.

Referring again to FIG. 1 the flange 12 is provided with a notch 37 to receive the lock lug 32 of the actuating means 31 when the classification unit 1 is completely seated within the slide means or connection means 10. When the unit 7 is coupled to the unit 2 such that the locking lug 32 is permitted to extend into the notch 37 in the flange 12, the valve means 23 is in its farther most extended position with its abutments 34 in engagement with the inside of the wall 35. Thus, the unit .1 is locked into position and may not he slid forward until the push button 31 is forced inwardly enough to permit clearance of the lug lock 32 with the intermost edge of the flange 12.

The inside of the body 17 is provided with outwardly extending lugs 38 the ends of which are received in sockets on the inside of the other half mold of the body 17 (not shown). These lugs 38 permit the mold halves of the unit 1 to be securely positioned together in proper alignment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a structural variation of the present invention which is very similar to that shown in FIG. 2 with the exception of the upper converging surface 20 and the valve means 23. In FIG. 5 the upper converging surface is smooth and is not provided with the steps 21 as shown in FIG. 2. The valve means 23 of FIG. 5 is hinged or pivoted at its ends as indicated at 40. The shafts 41 and 42 are preferably integrally moulded with the remainder of the valve means 23 and the axis of the shafts 41 and 42 is positioned adjacent the edge 43 of the valve means 23 rather than the edge 44. The pivot shaft 41 is permitted to extend through the body v17 and is provided with a knob at its outer end which has a lever arm 46. When the lever arm 46 is urged downward as indicated by the arrow, the track 18 is permitted to hinge downward from its pivotal axis to permit any classified coins resting therealong to be dropped under gravitational force as classified.

The spring 47 is provided at the knob end of the valve means 23 and is wrapped around the shaft 41 with one end engaging the underside of the Valve means 23 adjacent its edge 44 and with its other end pressing against the wall 33. The spring 47 therefore biases the valve means 23 in its closed position.

The advantage of this particular structure over that shown in FIG. 2 is that when the valve means 23 is actuated the coin is caused to fall from the bottom of the unit 1 at an angle other than vertical. This aids in eliminating the possibility of the coin coming to rest on edge in its respective coin silo 3.

The body 17 is provided with a lock lug 48 at its rearward end which has a hole 49 therethrough to receive a lock pin or clevis. The stop 15 as shown in FIG. 1 has a centrally located opening or notch (not shown) to receive the lug 48 which extends beyond the stop 15 when the unit 1 is completely engaged with the unit 2. When a lock clevis or other lock means is placed through the opening 49 the lug 48 is then prevented from being withdrawn through the central notch in the stop 15.

It should be noted that the bank as shown in FIG. 1 may take on many different structural appearances other than that shown, For example, the classification unit 1 including all of its interior as shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, may be all housed in a simple straight walled incline and the airplane structure may be completely separable from the rest of the classfication unit. Such a structure is illustrated in FIG. 6.

In FIG. 6 the classification unit 1 takes on the shape of an inclined launching pad. The interior working of the classification unit 1 is in all respects similar to the structures shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 concerning the method of coin classification. However, the classification unit 1 as shown in FIG. 6 is provided with a catapult means 50 which is employed to launch the toy vehicle 51 shown in the form of a rocket. The catapult means 50 consists of the stretch spring 52 which is connected to the catapult hammer 53 having an I-shaped transverse cross section. Each half mold of the classification unit 1 is provided with a half slot face 54 in the top thereof such that when both half molds are combined together the slot faces 54 slidingly embrace the narrow middle section of the cata pult hammer 53 which is permitted to slide longitudinally along the slot face 54. The transverse extending flanges 55 in the catapult hammer or slide 53 prevent the same from being withdrawn from the slot 54 when the mold halves of the classification unit 1 are assembled. Thus, the only portion of the catapult hammer 53 which is exposed to the outside of unit 1 is the upper T-shaped portion 56 of the hammer.

The catapult slide 53 is here shown in its cocked position with spring 52 being placed under tension. The hammer 53 is held in its cocked position by means of the sear 57 which projects into the hollowed out portion in the bottom of the hammer 53 and engages the back wall 69 thereof as revealed by the small cut-away portion of the hammer 53. The sear 57 is an integral part of the crank lever 58 which is pivoted about the pivot 60 and has the trigger 61 at its opposite end. The ribbon spring 62 which is gripped by lugs 63 applies pressure against the trigger 61 thereby maintaining the stop 64 against the underside of the top surface of the classification unit 1.

The valve means 23 is provided with a cam 65 adjacent the trigger 61 and which protrudes toward the wall 33 and provides a beveled cam surface which makes an angle with the edge 66 of the trigger 61 of approximately 45 degrees or less. Thus, when the valve means 23 is actuated the cam 65 is slid toward the Wall 33 thereby engaging the beveled cam surface against the edge 66 of the trigger 61 causing the same to move rearwardly or away from the cam 65 thereby rotating the crank 58 about the pivot 60 causing the sear 57 to release the catapult slide or hammer 53 which will then move forward sharply due to the tension of the spring 52 until it engages the stop 67. When the push button 31 is released the trigger 61 is again biased forward by the ribbon spring 62 as the beveled edge of the cam 65 retracts a back surface is provided by the rib 59 for the trigger 61. The rib 59 prevents the trigger from bending towards the wall 33 when the cam 65 is activated and permits only rearward displacement of the trigger 61. The catapult means may then be cooked again by sliding the hammer 53 rearwardly until it engages the sear 57 and causes the same to be displaced by means of the beveled surface 68 until the back Wall 69 of the hammer clears the tip of the sear.

The vehicular body 51 as shown in FIG. 6 is a half mold view of a rocket which is provided with a one-half T slot 70 which is open to the rear of the rocket 51 and mates in sliding engagement with one half of the exposed T-shaped portion 56 of the catapult hammer 53. When both mold halves of the rocket 51 are assembled a complete T slot is formed. Thus, the catapult means 50 may be cocked by sliding the rocket 51 down the upwardly opened curved surface 71 of the classification unit 1 such that the exposed T portion 56 of the hammer 53 is slidably received in the T slot 70 until it reaches the stop 72. By continuing to slide the rocket 51 rearwardly the hammer 53 will eventually be locked by the sear 57 as previously stated.

The rocket body 51 is provided with a coin chute 73 having its entrance as indicated by the slot 74 and its exit at 75 which is in mating engagement with the slot 16 in the classification unit 1. Similar to the classification unit 1 the coin chute 73 is provided with the ribs 76 to keep the coin in a substantially upright rolling position. When the rocket is completely seated on the surface 71 and in engagement with the hammer 53 and the catapult means 50 is in its cocked position a coin may be inserted in the slot 74 whereupon it will continue to roll into the classification unit 1 via the slot 16. When the operator activates the valve means 23 the coin will be deposited and simultaneously the rocket 51 will be launched by the action of the hammer 53 against the stop 72.

However, the advantage of having the airplane shaped body or air vehicle as a unitary part of the classification unit is that the operator may remove the entire classification unit 1 with coins already contained therein. The child may then push the button 31 causing the coins to fall as simulated bombs or the like for his entertainment. By forming the classification unit from material through which one cannot see, further excitement is provided for the child in that he does not know from which point along the track 18 the coin is going to fall or into which compartment the coin will be deposited.

I claim;

1. A coin bank comprising a coin classification unit for the reception, classification and releasing of coins of varying size and having a toy vehicular body with a coin access, an inclined coin rolling track mounted in said body and fed by said coin access, an arrest abutment means mounted above said track to arrest further rolling movement of each respective coin size and position the same along said track according to their size, valve means to support said coins arrested by said abutment means, valve actuating means to release the arrested coins from said unit as classified; and a series of coin compartments underlying and adjacent said track as a coin repository for the release of coins as classified, said coin classification unit removably secured to said coin repository.

2. The coin classification unit of claim 1 characterized by catapult means on said coin classification unit to launch said vehicular body from said unit when said valve means is actuated.

3. A coin classification unit for the reception, classification and releasing of coins of varying size for a coin bank and having a coin access feeding an inclined coin rolling track, characterized by an arrest abutment means above said track to arrest further rolling movement of each respective coin size and position the same along said track according to their size, valve means to support said coins arrested by said abutment means, valve actuating means to release the arrested coins from said unit as classified, a series of coin compartments underlying and adjacent said track as a coin repository unit for the released coins as classified, a toy vehicular body position over and removably secured to said coin repository unit and having a coin chute therethrough to mate with said coin access.

4. The coin classification unit of claim 3 characterized by catapult means on said coin classification unit to launch said vehicular body from said unit when said valve means is actuated.

5. A coin bank with an access to a covered inclined coin rolling track adjacent a progressive series of compartments for different sized coins and a coin arrest abutment means cooperating with a valve means to arrest further rolling movement of the coin adjacent the corresponding coin classification compartment and to release an arrested coin and permit it to move under gravitational force into its corresponding coin compartment, a toy vehicular body positioned over and removably secured to said coin compartments and having a coin chute therethrough to mate with said coin access.

6. The coin bank of claim 5 characterized by catapult means on said coin compartments to launch said vehicular body from said unit when said valve means is actuated.

7. The coin bank of claim 5 characterized by external valve actuating means to operate said valve and release said toy vehicular body and the coins to their respective compartments.

8. The method of classifying coins according to size for a coin bank consisting of the steps of providing a toy vehicular body removably secured to the coin bank for receiving coins therefor, rolling the received coins to be classified on an inclined surface, stopping the coins at a predetermined position along the inclined surface by gauging its diameter, and displacing the inclined a surface to release and drop the coins as classified and to release the toy vehicular body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 464- 

